<< My concern isn't for the PEOPLE,
it is for the sharks -- depending on the species it can take 9 years before
they
bear one offspring! >>
I would have to disagree somewhat; I wouldn't want to see people who come to
enjoy sharks get hurt in the process. On the other hand, I am MORE concerned
about the sharks overall, in any conflict between them and humans they're the
predictable loser. They don't stand a chance against ignorant people killing
them as man-eaters, fishing pests, idle amusement, sharkfin soup, or for
aphrodisiacs. The last one in particular I find really irritating and
pointless; do people really need more aphrodisiacs? It may be a case of
cultural differences that I would need to learn about, as most of the
aphrodisiac use seems to be in the Far East, but I suspect it has more to do
with lusty guys trying to entice reluctant women to remove their inhibitions.
Either way, it's frivolous. Your point about them taking nine years before
they can reproduce is a good one, it further underlines the argument that
they shouldn't be hunted at all, for food or otherwise. Maybe my opinion in
this matter is somewhat too impractical and restrictive but the fact that
they take so long to mature compared to other fishes makes it seem to me like
it would be too difficult to maintain a sustainable harvest.
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